From the Journal of Sean Shamshara - Night Falls

Sean Shamshara's journal. 20th Strassa, 1517
Continued..... The end in sight, our journey to the graveyard to find Ghenis Jaquim was almost over before it started. What at first seemed to be a discheveled resident of the Kaer was instead..... That, but not. Her aggressive stance and foul appearance seemed an ill omen. Before I could find a piece offering of Dwarven cookies, or potatoes, or anything really, what seemed a woman of the Kaer attacked Boris with claws and fangs outstreatched. This was clearly no person anymore, but a mind of malice and hate living in the shell of a corpse. Battle was joined, with Vyktor bringing magical barriers to aid us. Moving swiftly to a better position, I rained arrows at the monstrosity. To my complete supprise, all but one connected, with a final arrow cutting the body from curse that animated it. Quickly we went to the Nethermancers house, fearfull of what we might find. No other graves stirred, although after what we saw we kept a warry eye. Despite his odd occupation and unconventional abode, Ghenis was most helpful, as Sheyloon suggested he would be. When told of the woman who attacked us outside the Kaer, he informed us she had been found dead 3 days before, by none other then Vyktor's mentor, Ygdrask. We were almost as supprised by the re-animating dead as by finding that the crotchety old coot had a name! Unwrapping the once elegant cloth that covered the pure earth and pure water, he studdied the two pieces of tenticled mass that had once been whole and infesting Elder Meshra. Outside, he also studdied the corpse of the corpse woman. In the light of his staff he pointed out two small claw marks on her face, that matched two small claws on one of the mass's tenticles. "This is a Horror Construct. Somebody in the Kaer has been Horror Marked. This one, or one like it, brought back this poor woman to trouble an uneasy world". The news seeped into our souls, yet we knew what we must do to defend our home. Taking our leave, we returned to the Hall of Elders. Troubled by nothing but the unnatural darkness, we reported what we had found to Sheyloon and the other trainers. Ygdrask seemed rather put out to be called by name, but the gravity of the story we told stifled the almost expected retribution. In these times even he was subdued. With the news that a Horror was trying to or had already entered our home, questions began to arise. Elder Meshra was not only the head of our greater household, but also the litteral home of a Horror Construct. Omaron was a simple bumbling dwarven trader who liked lizards...... and who's buildings were infested with terifying disease carrying lizards that he knew "nothing" about. Magnic had given Valteri the carelessly built "magic dampener" to fix the light crystals. Valteri had fixed the flaws in thier construction, but less then a week later the Kaer is plunged into darkness, with despair not far behind. Questions without answers flew about the room. First and foremost was how to detect the mark of a Horror on our neighbors, or friends, or.... Our family. In a low voice, Sheyloon asked us what I dreaded to even think. Valteri with his natural view into the Astral plane, and Vyktor with his magical prowes both studdied my most treasured kin. No taint of evil was found in Elder Meshra by either, giving us some hope that she was merely an unwitting, high profile victim. Relieved, we discussed with Sheyloon our next steps. The liferock and a set of monitor crystals set around the Kaer were supposed to keep us safe from the outside. Magnic maintained the crystals, but clearly something had leaked through. Sheyloon also had Omaron detained for questioning, but given our experiences she thought it might be best if we talk to him. His cell in the basement of the Hall of Elders was easily found, but he had little information to give other then to plead his inocence of any crime. Valteri and Vyktor studied him also, finding no evidence of a Horror within. While he had requested to be freed on our good name, when he learned the light crystals had gone out his resolve wavered. The events at the Festival of Kar'lien and the graveyard were too much, his yearning for freedom was replaced by comfort at the thick walls and guards between he and the Night. Magnic was less happy to see us. Even before entering his house, Valteri warned us of his malice, and his carelessness. We also learned that while he maintains the protective Monitor Crystals and the light rocks themselves, he is not the greatest expert in the workings of magical artifacts. We entered with caution. When told of the unspeakable terror in the Kaer, between the darkness and the unholy creatures from the darkest tales, he was.... angry at being bothered and frustrated that we hadn't yet left the Kaer. That drive I could understand, especially with the apparent lack of any progress in the safety of the outside world. His board with feedback from the monitor crystals was bright but for two, but when Boris asked about those, the response of "Those represent the light stones you idiot" was less then helpful. Giving us two magical crystals that would help us read the energy of the liferock and the Pool of Shemara seemed dangerously helpful. Switching to Elven to speak, we discussed if they could perhaps be tainted with evil that we would bring to those most sensitive of places in the Kaer. Leaving as fast as we could, we left for the Liferock of Ungada. While the journey to the liferock was not excessive, there was much discussion about the nature of the crystals Magnic had given us. It was decided to study first without them, only using them with caution. Magnic was more surly then most, but that was not proof of evil within. The chamber that housed the liferock throbbed with warmth and energy, as it always did. The guards on duty were happy to see the stalward stones, allowing us passage without question. Viktor looked with eyes that see beyond for any hint that the liferock was not working as it had for hundreds of years before. We did note an affect on all of us from the energy in the room, even standing in the presence of that power was dizzying. We decided to employ the pink crystal Magnic had provided. Much to our relief, it gave a much cleaner picture that the liferock was doing well, it's energy pure and vibrant. Speaking to the guards about this unique duty in the Kaer, they did note that the dizzy feeling was new, in only the last month had being in the room had that affect. We noted this small but subtle change, not knowing what it might portend. Only one place remained, the Pool of Shemara with it's magically flooded doors that lead to the outside world. Hoping to find the source of the curses the plauge our home, we set off to a place I had been many times, this time not to dream of leaving, but to hold back the evil on the other side.

Legend Points awarded:

• for author (Sean): 50
• for participants mentioned (Vyktor, Boris, Valteri): 25